The Truth Behind The Link Between Talcum Powder And Ovarian Cancer

Talcum powder has been around for several decades now. It is primarily used for infants or by women to keep their groin area dry and odor free. Although, it can be found on almost every store in the country, but unfortunately, several Talc Powder lawsuits filed in the past years against the use of it, claim that it isn't safe for use. And in most cases, it's after effects has been linked with ovarian cancer.

What is Talc or Talcum Powder?

Talcum powder is composed of talc, a mineral typically made of magnesium, silicon and oxygen. Basically the talc is ground up into a powdered form which then act as a powerful stimulant to absorbing the moisture and keeping the pesky rashes at bay. This is the reason, talc powder is a popular product primarily used for babies, and by women looking to keep their private areas dry.

Talcum Powder and Ovarian Cancer: What is the Truth?

Several claims have come into the light in the past years that explain the unsafe use of talc particularly among the women. It is a bit unfortunate that investigations done in 1971 mentioned the threat of ovarian cancer linked with talc. However, since then, no precautions have been taken by the manufacturers of the product. In a study, it has been investigated that out of 13 tumor cases, 10 were infected of talc, which later confirmed the hazardous nature of talc.

In 2008, Dr. Margaret Gates confirmed that using talc powder on a weekly basis elevates the threat of ovarian cancer by 33%. While further investigations confirmed that use of powders such as Johnson & Johnson increases the risk even higher, to 41%.

Are manufacturers to be considered guilty for not labeling the products?
The number of Talcum powder lawsuits has increased significantly, acclaiming even more threat linked with talcum powder. In 2013, a lawsuit filed against the major manufacturer Johnson and Johnson, declared the talc unsafe as it caused ovarian cancer to the plaintiff, who died before the jury offered him $72 million for actual damages.
It has been concluded that the manufacturer didn't label the products before launching them in the market, and that the company knew about the risks of using talc. The company also continued to deny the allegations threw on them, despite all the studies that have been done so far.

As a matter of fact, a consumer should know about the threat associated with talc before using it. In case, the damage happens to you, talk to a legal attorney as soon as possible to know your rights about filing a class action lawsuit.